The conference
by Caruncle
Summary: Will and Mac go to a conference... just some hiatus fluff for my favourite new pairing.
1. Chapter 1

One of the things Will had never understood about Mac was her complete inability to travel 'light'. The woman had been in two wars, where she surely couldn't have taken her what looked like her entire wardrobe with her, yet here she was going on a three day conference with the world's biggest suitcase and, yep she even had hand luggage. He had no idea how she did it.

'Right, you ready?' She appeared in his doorway, dragging suitcase that could cover Texas when it rained behind her.

'Tell me why I'm going again?'

'Please don't tell me we have to have this conversation again,' the smile she'd come to his door with had gone as she sighed and rolled her eyes. It was their dance, so he made the next move, pushing the conversation into its usual playful direction.

'But I know all this stuff, why do I have to go a conference for other people to tell me about something I already know?'

'For the tenth time because it looks good for the network, which makes the 44th floor happy- plus it would be nice if you would be slightly supportive of the fact they've offered me the key note speech'

'Well yes, I am supportive, but I can be supportive over text, or even by email- it's the digital age, it'll be like I'm right in the room. Or I could send Jim or Tess to be supportive on my behalf, or Sloan, Sloan and you are friends right? Friends are great at supporting other friends,'

'Aren't you and I friends?' She said this a little too quickly and she knew it- so did he. Of course she was his friend, she was his best friend- he'd drop the banter, but just for a second. She wasn't winning that easy.

'Well, yeah, of course we're friends- but she's a female friend, female friends supporting each other, millions of movies and tv shows are built on that premise,' She rolled her eyes, but he could she reassured, they knew each other too well.

'You can talk yourself out it all you want, you know as well as I do, you're coming with me because Leona 'wants' you to come with me, which means Charlie 'wants' you to come with me, which means you will be coming with me,' She never used air quotations before, he made a mental note to tell her not to the next time she did (and now she'd done it once she'd do it again)- she looked ridiculous, cute ridiculous, but ridiculous all the same. He got up and walked over the chair where his normal person sized bag and tux were sitting.

'Fine, but I could be supportive from here,'

'I know, I mean I can feel it right now.' She rolled her eyes as they left his office

'Oh shoot,'

'What?'

'I left my 'go on Mac' foam finger in the office' She didn't even turn round as they kept walking across the newsroom

'One of these days William I am going to kill you,' He closed the door behind them as they turned to the stairwell.

As they were half way down the stairs she turned to him looking truly vexed in a way only Mac could, 'What's the tux for?'

'The formal dinner,'

'What formal dinner?' She looked genuinely concerned which meant now was the not the time for a sarcastic answer and as much as he didn't really want to go to this thing, he didn't really fancy being pushed down the stairs either.

'The closing dinner, it was on the leaflet'

'Well nobody told me about it,'

'Well it was on the l-'

'Will, I didn't read the bloody leaflet!'

'Well, some people would say that was foo-' he was veering dangerously close to 'being pushed down the stairs' territory. His smiled softened 'Well surely you have something in that house you're bringing with you?'

'No, and it's not a 'house', it's a'-

'Don't do air quotes,'

'What?'

'Don't do air quotes, it makes you look weird'

'What?!' He tried so hard to cover up the smile on his face 'Will now is not the time,'

'I'm just saying, you do this weird thing with your face when you do it, I-' She was about to hit him, he knew it. But instead she turned from him and ran her hands through her hair, she was panicking "Mac, you could go to the dinner in what you're wearing now, you're not going to Buckingham Palace?'

'I sincerely hope you're kidding,-'

'What you were hoping to go to Buckingham Palace?'

'Don't push me Billy- I've been in these clothes since 6 am. We'll just have to go via my flat so I can pick something up,'

'Mac, we haven't got time,'

'We've got plenty of time,' Now she'd apparently solved her problem she was happy again and walking down the stairs

'Mac, we'll miss the plane,'

'Now who's worried about missing the conference? Come on,'

'We're actually going to your place?'

'I know, exciting isn't it?'

'Can't you just pick something up in Chicago?'

'Will, we'll be in hotel the whole time, and I don't really fancy going in a bath robe or a as tennis player'

'You're a great tennis player'

'You would know- how many times did I win, I forget?'

'Look, if you had injuries like I had, you'd struggle too,'

'Oh yes, that's right, I was undefeated!' She turned round and shot him a smile before she carried on walking. He looked at the floor and shook his head. They walked out the building together as the doorman hailed them a cab.

'You really do look stupid when you do air quotes though,'

'I do not!' The doorman shut the door as they drove away from the building. It was going to be an interesting weekend.

They got to Mac's building in good time. Will had tried to stay in the car but she'd dragged him insisting she needed his opinion as she had 'options'. He knew this would only slow the process down and so had already decided whole heartedly to tell she looked gorgeous in the first dress her saw her in.

He had already suggested the dress she'd worn at New Year. She had been quite surprised he'd remembered and he'd enjoyed how momentarily flustered she'd got –but sadly, this time saving tactic had failed, the dress was at the dry cleaners as she'd finally gotten round to taking it in a month ago and still hadn't been able to pick it up.

As they walked into her apartment she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the bedroom. He'd made some sarcastic comment about how this wasn't what he signed up for this weekend but it secretly made his heart beat a little faster as it forced him to graze the memories he'd been trying so hard to shut out.

As she grabbed a handful of dresses from the closet, he looked round the room. It smelt like her and he liked it. She had a picture of her and her father on her night stand- he'd missed Mac's father, he was the closest thing he'd ever had to a male role model, other than Charlie, and Michael was slightly more stable and considerably less of an alcoholic.

'When was this picture taken?'

'What picture?'

'The picture of you and your dad'

'Oh, erm, last year- just before I came back to New York, I flew home on the way over and spent a few weeks with them,'

'Is he well?'

'Yeah, he's fine. Still smokes too much. But mum thinks he's quit so at least they don't argue about that anymore,' He smiled. He loved Mac's whole family. Her mother was just like her, but more sensible, her idealism came from Mike, it was kind of the perfect combination.

And here that perfect combination was, and as it turned out his plan was pointless anyway because she really did look gorgeous. She'd chosen a green, floor length dress that hugged her beautifully in the right places. He realised he hadn't said anything and she was starting to look insecure, but she should never look insecure, especially not in that dress…

'That one,'

'You're just saying that because you don't want to see the others'

'I'm not, Mac you look beautiful,' She knew him well enough to know he wasn't joking. She looked to his face, waiting for his smile, but it never came. She just watched his eyes which were moving slowly up and down her figure.

'So this one?'

'That one'

'Great, I'll be two seconds'

He sat down on the bed facing the window as she went back into her bathroom to get changed. He tried so hard to focus on the skyline from the window but she'd left the door oh so slightly a jar and from the corner (ok maybe not so much the corner) of his eye he could see her silhouette against the black tiles of her bathroom. He hadn't allowed himself to think of her body in a long time but right now he was losing the battle with his conscious, God, she really was beautiful. He forced the memories of how soft her skin was and how perfect her lips felt and all the others to the back of his brain and in doing so realised that this weekend, for the first time in a long time they were going to be spending the weekend as just them. They had no newsroom staff to buffer the tension, no Charlie or Don to interrupt the chemistry- it was just him and her and if these feelings were anything to go by, well, it was going to be difficult to remain 'professional'.

She emerged from the bathroom two minutes later, fully clothed and ready to go. They resumed the air quote debate on the way down the stairs- if nothing else; this was going to be fun.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you guys sooo much for the reviews- for some reason it won't let me message you to thank you personally but it really means the world that you did. You'll hopefully be pleased to know that the fluff continues in part 2. This part is dedicated to **Katycat1970, lillivanessi11, build up to the fall, kronoskingofthemonkeypeople, Anastasia, inothernews, rexie123, blue cube76, lilacmermaid33 & serialstorylover **(you guys made my day) Enjoy part two, Cx

Part 2

The flight had been relatively uneventful. Mac has dropped her hand luggage on an old lady who was sat under the luggage rack. Watching her try and apologise had amused Will greatly and he'd got even more of a victory when the same woman, after scolding Mac, had turned round and asked for his autograph. What could he say, he loved meeting the fans!  
The airport in Chicago had been a nightmare, they'd sent the luggage to the wrong terminal so they were waiting for it for over an hour, plus the fight had been just under an hour delayed so it was really getting late and all Mac wanted to do was get to the hotel, get something to eat and curl up in bed.

However the Chicago traffic had other ideas and by the time they got to the hotel it was almost 10pm and so as she wearily approached the check in desk all she wanted to do was sleep.

'Welcome to the Hilton Chicago, how can I help you' this check in girl was going to be annoyingly perky.

'Hi, yes, we've got two rooms reserved, MacHale and McAvoy?'

'We sound like such a double act? I've never noticed that before,' Will mumbled to himself as she rolled her eyes and turned back to the receptionist who was looking slightly perplexed.

'We have a booking under McAvoy but no registered booking under MacHale, what is the first name?'

'MacKenzie'

'Thank you madam, let me just take a look,' Even though Mac was holding it together remarkably well Will knew she was getting towards the end of her tether, she was tired and tired Mac was not someone you wanted to cross.

'I am sorry madam but we have no booking under your name,'

'Well, I rang and booked a week ago and I spoke to a very nice young man who confirmed my booking for me,'

'I see madam, did he give you a reference number?'

'A what?'

'A booking reference number?'

'No, he just said, excellent madam, we will see you on Friday,'

'I am very sorry Madam but we have no record of you booking,'

'Well, fine. I'll just take another room, what is available?' Will could tell by the look on the receptionists face that Mac wasn't going to like this answer.

'I'm afraid because of a large conference this weekend we are already at full capacity,'

'Full, capacity?!' Mac's voice was getting higher, Will contemplated stepping in, but it wasn't quite intervention time yet 'So what you're telling me is, I, the key note speaker at this 'busy' conference, cannot get a bed in this entire hotel?'

'I'm very sorry madam, we can try ringing one of our sister hotels and see if they have a space?' As Will saw Mac contemplating this request he knew now was the time to stop it, there was an obvious solution and they were professional. They were professional adults who could share a room without it being awkward. They could, and they would so, plus he enjoyed being the one to come to rescue.

'It's alright, you don't need to ring any other hotel,' As Will finally piped up Mac turned round and looked like she was about to hit him, hard.

'Will, now is really not the time for-'

'She can stay in my room,' Mac turned round to fully face him now. Her eyes were wide and her head was slightly rotated,

'And where are you going to sleep?'

'In my room,'

'But that's where I'm going to sleep,'

'Yes Sherlock, get there…'

'So we're both going to sleep, in your room?' she paused 'Together?'

'Well we're professional adults, it makes no sense for you to go to another hotel when the conference is here and its late. Let's just go upstairs, order room service and get some sleep?' He knew she far more things she wanted to say on the matter but she was too tired to care and so just nodded. Will turned to the receptionist,

'Can we get two keys please?'

'Certainly sir,' She disappeared through a door momentarily. Mac looked over at Will slightly apprehensive of what was about to occur. Yes they were professional, yes they were adults but they were also ex partners who had had their fair share of 'moments' this last year. Would putting them in a bed, especially after a formal meal where wine would undoubtedly be involved be a good idea? But if it was such a bad idea why was she having to stop herself from smiling, god they were fucked up and she had a strange suspicion this was only going to complicate things further. She was interrupted from her thoughts by Will tapping her on the shoulder and handing her her key- Room 101- how appropriate.

The walk up to the room had been strangely quiet. It wasn't a completely uncomfortable silence but they both knew that this whole 'adult professional' tactic was probably going to be difficult to adhere to but they were both silently coming to the conclusion that for the other's sake they would try.

Will opened the door, and they both shuffled through. Mac was happily reunited with her suitcase that the porter had kindly brought up which she swiftly opened and started hanging up the various suits and that dress in the closet. Will went straight into the bathroom- he was still in suit he'd been wearing at work and so quickly got unchanged and into his pyjamas. He appeared back in the room and for a second just watched as Mac gently look down and ran her fingers through her hair, before stepping out of her shoes and turning round to see him stood, looking a little gormless in the the bathroom doorway,

'I knew you'd like my pyjamas!' She sounded so triumphant.

'What do you mean?' He knew exactly what she meant and when he'd packed the pyjamas, which he did happen to really like he didn't intend, at any point this weekend to be stood in front of her wearing them.

'Those pyjamas, they're the ones I bought for you while you were in hospital,' She looked slightly disappointed about his apparent amnesia but enjoyed playing games with her, it was what they did.

'Oh right, so they are,' She was smiling again and maybe it was because he was tired, or maybe it was because it was her and they were in a hotel and he was stood in the pyjamas that she'd bought him, but all he wanted to do was turn the lights out and fall asleep with her in his arms. No McAvoy, you are professional, she is your colleague and it would be inappropriate, this is just a friend helping a friend, that's all.

When she came out the bathroom, he'd already got into bed.

'I assumed you still liked the left side?' She looked over and couldn't quite get over how strangely perfect this was working out, infact she'd gone from hating the moron that took her booking to now actually being quite a big fan, but she was still scared and so she wanted to give Will one more 'get out of jail free' card.

'Will I really don't mind the floor,' She knew as well as he did that she wasn't being very convincing.

'Mac, it-'

'No. honestly. When I was in Afghanistan I slept on corrugated iron for a week, I really don't mind,'

'Mac, as impressive as it is that you, formerly miss 'I sleep on duck down pillows' can now sleep on metal, you don't have to the hero now. It's a big bed, and its November and it's not like we've not done it before, 'He pulled over the sheets as she tentatively wondered over to the left side of the bed.

They decided they were both too tired to bother with eating and so decided just to go to sleep. Mac turned her light of first, and, just like she used to be was fast asleep before Will had even realised. As she nuzzled down into their duvet (he didn't ever think he'd be thinking of a duvet as 'theirs' again') he couldn't help but watch her. He'd always been amazed at how peaceful Mac looked when she was sleeping. For someone so frenetic to be so still was kind of a miracle. God it was hard not to pull her close into him, to be sleeping in the same bed as her and yet feel further, in this respect, than he ever had before. He didn't know how long it had taken him but before he knew it he was asleep too- his nose as physically close to the edge of the pillow as it could be.

He was woken up at 3am by the sound of her teeth chattering and as his eyes became more accustomed to the darkness he could see, despite the fact she'd pulled herself up into a ball, her whole body was shaking. He knew that this wasn't going to be the best move and it was going to be something they'd have to talk about in the morning but he was drowsy, he wanted sleep and she was freezing.

So without saying a word, he shuffled over to her side of the bed. Surprised to see him awake she turned around so she was facing him again. Their eyes met for a second before she felt his strong right arm wrap around her body and pull her into him. She was too tired to care about what this meant, or what the consequences would be and so she shuffled down the in bed slightly and moved her head so it laid gently in the notch in chest that it always used to. As she moved she felt his legs intertwine with hers in the same loose plait they used to. His right hand rubbed her back gently, and as he did she could feel herself warming up and so she snuggled sleepily into him as he heard her breathing slow as she drifted off again. He let his drowsy gaze linger on her for longer than it should and before he knew it he had planted a gentle kiss on her forehead before himself drifting off into a peaceful slumber, so still, so familiar and so perfect. Just the way it should be.


End file.
